You can visibly see the exact moment the pup realised she was being left behind

A HEART-WRENCHING moment captured on film shows the moment a pup realised her owners were leaving her behind.

The sadness in Electra's face when she realises she has been left in a shelter has captured people's hearts. Photo: Lolys Menchaka

ELECTRA is a beautiful dog, who has had a tough life.

The four-year-old pit bull mix was surrendered to a dog shelter by her family. There is nothing new about dogs being given up for adoption and in some cases, to be put down. But it is the visceral reaction Electra had when she realised she has been left behind that has thousands of people weeping.

She was left at the Inland Valley Humane Society in California on May 17.

A video taken and shared on Facebook of the pup’s face the moment she realised her family was not coming back for her has gone viral.

There are thousands of comments about the impact Electra had on the public such as ‘Her sad eyes made my heart hurt’ and “this kills me. Those eyes. She's so scared. The wagging tail. She’s still wants to give love. Dogs are so selfless.”

The video was uploaded by Lolys Menchaka, an animal activist in California who has kept the public updated on Electra including the fact that she has been adopted.

Electra is not the first or the last pup that will face life in a shelter. But she is the one that has put a face to the sadness and realities of shelter life for so many dogs.